Abstract

Endohedral metallofullerene molecules adsorbed on film have been investigated by an ultra-high-vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy. The film was obtained by depositing 2–3 ML of molecules on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surface. The as-deposited molecules were observed to form various structures on the film. The nucleation behavior of was compared with that of and on the film. These structures were explained based on the interactions of and scanning tunneling microscopy tip.